76ers lineup projection with LeBron James: How superstar fits with Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid

LeBron James has made his decision, and it's clear he wasn't lying when he said he would prioritize winning.

While some questioned his chances of winning with the Warriors or his fit with the Heat, James went outside the box and chose a different path, joining a 76ers team that many already expected to compete to win the East next season.

The Sixers have transformed themselves in one offseason, adding Jaylen Brown and now one of the NBA's all-time greats, positioning themselves to be one of the league's must-watch teams next season.

Here's a look at how the 76ers will shape up with James in the fold.

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76ers 2026 lineup projection

Here's how the 76ers' new-look lineup is expected to shake out:

• PG Tyrese Maxey
• SG VJ Edgecombe
• SF Jaylen Brown
• PF LeBron James
• C Joel Embiid 

The 76ers seemed pretty set with their starting five before James arrived, as new addition Dean Wade was set to be the team's likely starting power forward with Joel Embiid at center and Jaylen Brown on the wing. 

Now, Philadelphia will squeeze James into the frontcourt alongside Brown and Embiid, with the backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe remaining intact. Wade can shift into a more flexible role off the bench, which should help fill the void in what was looking like a thin group of forwards off the bench. 

This starting five is a guarantee when everyone is healthy, but the 76ers know Embiid isn't someone who is going to play every night. The Sixers have the option to either plug in Adem Bona as their starting center or play much smaller and put Wade on the floor with James when Embiid is out. 

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What LeBron James brings to 76ers lineup

One area of concern heading into the season for the 76ers without James would have been frontcourt depth. Dominick Barlow and Justin Edwards were set to be Philadelphia's top reserve forwards with Dean Wade in the starting lineup, and the Sixers lost Andre Drummond as Embiid's backup, leaving Adem Bona in that role.

While James and Brown will have to get comfortable with each other, the 76ers can now shift Wade into a more flexible role off the bench and take some of the pressure off the new addition from Cleveland.

James isn't an efficient shooter from 3-point range at this point in his career, but he's still a versatile scorer who can pass and rebound at a high level. He won't have to be anything close to a No. 1 option in Philadelphia, even when Embiid isn't on the floor, but his rebounding will be critical when Embiid isn't out there and the 76ers potentially go smalle.

With Maxey, Edgecombe, Anfernee Simons and Labaron Philon, the Sixers' backcourt was already looking like a strength. Beyond the obvious upgrades he brings to the team, James helps fill out a frontcourt that can at the very least match a strong and deep backcourt.